diff --git a/e2e/affected.test.ts b/e2e/affected.test.ts
index 47fc018bd7..49c01adc08 100644
--- a/e2e/affected.test.ts
+++ b/e2e/affected.test.ts
@@ -240,4 +240,54 @@ forEachCli(() => {
       expect(interpolatedTests).toContain(`Running target \"test\" succeeded`);
     }, 1000000);
   });
+
+  describe('build in the right order', () => {
+    let myapp, mypublishablelib;
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      ensureProject();
+
+      // create my app depending on mypublishablelib
+      myapp = uniq('myapp');
+      mypublishablelib = uniq('mypublishablelib');
+      runCLI(`generate @nrwl/angular:app ${myapp}`);
+      runCLI(`generate @nrwl/angular:lib ${mypublishablelib} --publishable`);
+      updateFile(
+        `apps/${myapp}/src/app/app.component.spec.ts`,
+        `
+              import '@proj/${mypublishablelib}';
+              describe('sample test', () => {
+                it('should test', () => {
+                  expect(1).toEqual(1);
+                });
+              });
+            `
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('should wait for deps to be built before continuing', () => {
+      const build = runCommand(
+        `npm run affected:build -- --files="apps/${myapp}/src/main.ts,libs/${mypublishablelib}/src/index.ts" --parallel`
+      );
+      console.log(build);
+      // make sure that the package is done building before we start building the app
+      expect(
+        build.indexOf('Built Angular Package!') <
+          build.indexOf(`"build" "${myapp}"`)
+      ).toBeTruthy();
+    });
+
+    it('should not invoke build for projects who deps fail', () => {
+      updateFile(
+        `libs/${mypublishablelib}/src/index.ts`,
+        `
+          const x: number = 'string';
+            `
+      );
+
+      const build = runCommand(
+        `npm run affected:build -- --files="apps/${myapp}/src/main.ts,libs/${mypublishablelib}/src/index.ts" --parallel`
+      );
+      expect(build.indexOf(`"build" "${myapp}"`)).toEqual(-1);
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/insights/src/insights-task-runner.ts b/packages/insights/src/insights-task-runner.ts
index a2127a7c76..f55b9007ef 100644
--- a/packages/insights/src/insights-task-runner.ts
+++ b/packages/insights/src/insights-task-runner.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import {
   DefaultTasksRunnerOptions
 } from '@nrwl/workspace/src/tasks-runner/default-tasks-runner';
 import * as fs from 'fs';
-import { TasksMap } from '@nrwl/workspace/src/tasks-runner/run-command';
 import { ProjectGraph } from '@nrwl/workspace/src/core/project-graph';
 const axios = require('axios');
 
@@ -20,7 +19,6 @@ interface InsightsTaskRunnerOptions extends DefaultTasksRunnerOptions {
 
 type Context = {
   projectGraph: ProjectGraph;
-  tasksMap: TasksMap;
   target: string;
 };
 
diff --git a/packages/workspace/src/tasks-runner/default-tasks-runner.spec.ts b/packages/workspace/src/tasks-runner/default-tasks-runner.spec.ts
index 807181ccf7..44b9b30049 100644
--- a/packages/workspace/src/tasks-runner/default-tasks-runner.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/workspace/src/tasks-runner/default-tasks-runner.spec.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
-import defaultTaskRunner from './default-tasks-runner';
-import { AffectedEventType, Task } from './tasks-runner';
-jest.mock('npm-run-all', () => jest.fn());
+import defaultTaskRunner, {
+  splitTasksIntoStages
+} from './default-tasks-runner';
+import { AffectedEventType } from './tasks-runner';
 import * as runAll from 'npm-run-all';
+import { DependencyType } from '@nrwl/workspace/src/core/project-graph';
+
+jest.mock('npm-run-all', () => jest.fn());
 jest.mock('../core/file-utils', () => ({
   cliCommand: () => 'nx'
 }));
@@ -134,4 +138,77 @@ describe('defaultTasksRunner', () => {
       complete: done
     });
   });
+
+  describe('splitTasksIntoStages', () => {
+    it('should return empty for an empty array', () => {
+      const stages = splitTasksIntoStages([], { nodes: {}, dependencies: {} });
+      expect(stages).toEqual([]);
+    });
+
+    it('should split tasks into stages based on their dependencies', () => {
+      const stages = splitTasksIntoStages(
+        [
+          {
+            target: { project: 'parent' }
+          },
+          {
+            target: { project: 'child1' }
+          },
+          {
+            target: { project: 'child2' }
+          },
+          {
+            target: { project: 'grandparent' }
+          }
+        ] as any,
+        {
+          nodes: {},
+          dependencies: {
+            child1: [],
+            child2: [],
+            parent: [
+              {
+                source: 'parent',
+                target: 'child1',
+                type: DependencyType.static
+              },
+              {
+                source: 'parent',
+                target: 'child2',
+                type: DependencyType.static
+              }
+            ],
+            grandparent: [
+              {
+                source: 'grandparent',
+                target: 'parent',
+                type: DependencyType.static
+              }
+            ]
+          }
+        }
+      );
+
+      expect(stages).toEqual([
+        [
+          {
+            target: { project: 'child1' }
+          },
+          {
+            target: { project: 'child2' }
+          }
+        ],
+        [
+          {
+            target: { project: 'parent' }
+          }
+        ],
+        [
+          {
+            target: { project: 'grandparent' }
+          }
+        ]
+      ]);
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/workspace/src/tasks-runner/default-tasks-runner.ts b/packages/workspace/src/tasks-runner/default-tasks-runner.ts
index 03a24425df..cb2b2298fb 100644
--- a/packages/workspace/src/tasks-runner/default-tasks-runner.ts
+++ b/packages/workspace/src/tasks-runner/default-tasks-runner.ts
@@ -11,46 +11,79 @@ import { output } from '../utils/output';
 import { readJsonFile } from '../utils/fileutils';
 import { getCommand } from './utils';
 import { cliCommand } from '../core/file-utils';
+import { ProjectGraph } from '../core/project-graph';
 
 export interface DefaultTasksRunnerOptions {
   parallel?: boolean;
   maxParallel?: number;
 }
 
+function taskDependsOnDeps(
+  task: Task,
+  deps: Task[],
+  projectGraph: ProjectGraph
+) {
+  function hasDep(source: string, target: string, visitedProjects: string[]) {
+    if (!projectGraph.dependencies[source]) {
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    if (projectGraph.dependencies[source].find(d => d.target === target)) {
+      return true;
+    }
+
+    return !!projectGraph.dependencies[source].find(r => {
+      if (visitedProjects.indexOf(r.target) > -1) return null;
+      return hasDep(r.target, target, [...visitedProjects, r.target]);
+    });
+  }
+
+  return !!deps.find(dep =>
+    hasDep(task.target.project, dep.target.project, [])
+  );
+}
+
+function topologicallySortTasks(tasks: Task[], projectGraph: ProjectGraph) {
+  const sortedTasks = [...tasks];
+  sortedTasks.sort((a, b) => {
+    if (taskDependsOnDeps(a, [b], projectGraph)) return 1;
+    if (taskDependsOnDeps(b, [a], projectGraph)) return -1;
+    return 0;
+  });
+  return sortedTasks;
+}
+
+export function splitTasksIntoStages(
+  tasks: Task[],
+  projectGraph: ProjectGraph
+) {
+  if (tasks.length === 0) return [];
+  const res = [];
+  topologicallySortTasks(tasks, projectGraph).forEach(t => {
+    const stageWithNoDeps = res.find(
+      tasksInStage => !taskDependsOnDeps(t, tasksInStage, projectGraph)
+    );
+    if (stageWithNoDeps) {
+      stageWithNoDeps.push(t);
+    } else {
+      res.push([t]);
+    }
+  });
+  return res;
+}
+
 export const defaultTasksRunner: TasksRunner<DefaultTasksRunnerOptions> = (
   tasks: Task[],
-  options: DefaultTasksRunnerOptions
+  options: DefaultTasksRunnerOptions,
+  context: { target: string; projectGraph: ProjectGraph }
 ): Observable<TaskCompleteEvent> => {
-  const cli = cliCommand();
-  const isYarn = basename(process.env.npm_execpath || 'npm').startsWith('yarn');
-  assertPackageJsonScriptExists(cli);
-  const commands = tasks.map(t => getCommand(cli, isYarn, t));
   return new Observable(subscriber => {
-    runAll(commands, {
-      parallel: options.parallel || false,
-      maxParallel: options.maxParallel || 3,
-      continueOnError: true,
-      stdin: process.stdin,
-      stdout: process.stdout,
-      stderr: process.stderr
-    })
-      .then(() => {
-        tasks.forEach(task => {
-          subscriber.next({
-            task: task,
-            type: AffectedEventType.TaskComplete,
-            success: true
-          });
-        });
-      })
+    runTasks(tasks, options, context)
+      .then(data => data.forEach(d => subscriber.next(d)))
       .catch(e => {
-        e.results.forEach((result, i) => {
-          subscriber.next({
-            task: tasks[i],
-            type: AffectedEventType.TaskComplete,
-            success: result.code === 0
-          });
-        });
+        console.error('Unexpected error:');
+        console.error(e);
+        process.exit(1);
       })
       .finally(() => {
         subscriber.complete();
@@ -60,6 +93,60 @@ export const defaultTasksRunner: TasksRunner<DefaultTasksRunnerOptions> = (
   });
 };
 
+async function runTasks(
+  tasks: Task[],
+  options: DefaultTasksRunnerOptions,
+  context: { target: string; projectGraph: ProjectGraph }
+): Promise<Array<{ task: Task; type: any; success: boolean }>> {
+  const cli = cliCommand();
+  assertPackageJsonScriptExists(cli);
+  const isYarn = basename(process.env.npm_execpath || 'npm').startsWith('yarn');
+  const stages =
+    context.target === 'build'
+      ? splitTasksIntoStages(tasks, context.projectGraph)
+      : [tasks];
+
+  const res = [];
+  for (let i = 0; i < stages.length; ++i) {
+    const tasksInStage = stages[i];
+    try {
+      const commands = tasksInStage.map(t => getCommand(cli, isYarn, t));
+      await runAll(commands, {
+        parallel: options.parallel || false,
+        maxParallel: options.maxParallel || 3,
+        continueOnError: true,
+        stdin: process.stdin,
+        stdout: process.stdout,
+        stderr: process.stderr
+      });
+      res.push(...tasksToStatuses(tasksInStage, true));
+    } catch (e) {
+      e.results.forEach((result, i) => {
+        res.push({
+          task: tasksInStage[i],
+          type: AffectedEventType.TaskComplete,
+          success: result.code === 0
+        });
+      });
+      res.push(...markStagesAsNotSuccessful(stages.splice(i + 1)));
+      return res;
+    }
+  }
+  return res;
+}
+
+function markStagesAsNotSuccessful(stages: Task[][]) {
+  return stages.reduce((m, c) => [...m, ...tasksToStatuses(c, false)], []);
+}
+
+function tasksToStatuses(tasks: Task[], success: boolean) {
+  return tasks.map(task => ({
+    task,
+    type: AffectedEventType.TaskComplete,
+    success
+  }));
+}
+
 function assertPackageJsonScriptExists(cli: string) {
   // Make sure the `package.json` has the `nx: "nx"` command needed by `npm-run-all`
   const packageJson = readJsonFile('./package.json');
diff --git a/packages/workspace/src/tasks-runner/run-command.ts b/packages/workspace/src/tasks-runner/run-command.ts
index 0db548bbb1..4e9c43602a 100644
--- a/packages/workspace/src/tasks-runner/run-command.ts
+++ b/packages/workspace/src/tasks-runner/run-command.ts
@@ -12,13 +12,8 @@ import { DefaultReporter, ReporterArgs } from './default-reporter';
 import * as yargs from 'yargs';
 import { ProjectGraph, ProjectGraphNode } from '../core/project-graph';
 import { Environment, NxJson } from '../core/shared-interfaces';
-import { projectHasTargetAndConfiguration } from '../utils/project-has-target-and-configuration';
 import { NxArgs } from '@nrwl/workspace/src/command-line/utils';
 
-export interface TasksMap {
-  [projectName: string]: { [targetName: string]: Task };
-}
-
 type RunArgs = yargs.Arguments & ReporterArgs;
 
 export function runCommand<T extends RunArgs>(
@@ -39,25 +34,6 @@ export function runCommand<T extends RunArgs>(
     })
   );
 
-  const tasksMap: TasksMap = {};
-  Object.entries(projectGraph.nodes).forEach(([projectName, project]) => {
-    const runnable = projectHasTargetAndConfiguration(
-      project,
-      nxArgs.target,
-      nxArgs.configuration
-    );
-    if (runnable) {
-      tasksMap[projectName] = {
-        [nxArgs.target]: createTask({
-          project: project,
-          target: nxArgs.target,
-          configuration: nxArgs.configuration,
-          overrides: overrides
-        })
-      };
-    }
-  });
-
   const { tasksRunner, tasksOptions } = getRunner(
     nxArgs.runner,
     nxJson,
@@ -65,8 +41,7 @@ export function runCommand<T extends RunArgs>(
   );
   tasksRunner(tasks, tasksOptions, {
     target: nxArgs.target,
-    projectGraph,
-    tasksMap
+    projectGraph
   }).subscribe({
     next: (event: TaskCompleteEvent) => {
       switch (event.type) {
@@ -107,17 +82,14 @@ export function createTask({
   configuration,
   overrides
 }: TaskParams): Task {
+  const qualifiedTarget = {
+    project: project.name,
+    target,
+    configuration
+  };
   return {
-    id: getId({
-      project: project.name,
-      target: target,
-      configuration: configuration
-    }),
-    target: {
-      project: project.name,
-      target,
-      configuration
-    },
+    id: getId(qualifiedTarget),
+    target: qualifiedTarget,
     overrides: interpolateOverrides(overrides, project.name, project.data)
   };
 }
diff --git a/packages/workspace/src/tasks-runner/tasks-runner.ts b/packages/workspace/src/tasks-runner/tasks-runner.ts
index 5ce45c1308..f608d80366 100644
--- a/packages/workspace/src/tasks-runner/tasks-runner.ts
+++ b/packages/workspace/src/tasks-runner/tasks-runner.ts
@@ -25,14 +25,9 @@ export interface TaskCompleteEvent extends AffectedEvent {
 
 export type TasksRunner<T = unknown> = (
   tasks: Task[],
-  options?: T,
+  options: T,
   context?: {
     target?: string;
     projectGraph: ProjectGraph;
-    tasksMap: {
-      [projectName: string]: {
-        [targetName: string]: Task;
-      };
-    };
   }
 ) => Observable<AffectedEvent>;